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You can find suprisingly much in Horseshoe Harbour despite it not being one of the big cities of Equestria like Canterlot or Manehatten or Trottingham. Traveling through the markets and along main street one could find everything from common vegetables to rare foreign botanical samples, everything from 'cures to the common cold' to actual cures that actualy work, the latest Daring Doo books, good clothes, better wine, fine ironwork, master scrimshaw, metal bands, master burglars and so on. Anything could be found across town.

Though if one were to look for foreign products the best place would be to look amongst the merchants along the Boardwalk in the port itself. One would also find a number of foreign ponies there too; like Quintessent Rune, one of the town's seaponies - if one rather keen on remaining thought of as a earth pony if at all possible. The mare came to a stop, peering at yet another stand for a moment before turning away once more. There was nothing there that she wanted. Then again, she wasn't to suprised; dirt pony crafts left a lot wanting. Trotting down the boardwalk she once more came to a halt, peering up at one of the ships in the harbour. Another one of those weird dirt pony things, they really shouldn't go and dable in the seas like that…

Gem-Song sighs as Rune stops and stares at one of the boats. "Come on, Rune," he says, trotting along. "It's just a boat. Nothing you haven't seen hundreds of times before."

And something else can be found at the harbour today, something foreign, however it is not any kind of wares this time. No, it is a pony leaving the ship that is apparently being peered at the moment she disembarks. It is an earth pony, snow white coat with a black mane. This might not be too unusual yet, though her facial features certainly show she is not from around this place. It is a female from neighpon, saddlebags filled with smaller tools and a pouch or other on her back with larger tools and one larger sack on each side bound to it. It doesn't seem to be an easy task to carry these around, but the foreign pony seems to manage somehow. She doesn't seem too unhappy to be able to leave the ship, either.

Quintessent-Rune eyed Ocha for a moment before turning towards Gem Song. "The notion of ships and boats have, to me, always seemed a bit daft I must atest. If ponies were intended to swim, they would have fins. Just see that mare, she does seem utterly relieved to have taken her farewell of the vessel." A hoof came up, motioning at Ocha.

If ponies were intended to swim… they'd have fins? "Rune, what the hay are you talk- Hey look, it's a pony," Gem says, finally noticing the white earth pony descending from said ship. "And… She's carrying bags? A new resident? Huzzah!"

Ocha can, of course, swim! Not the distance that she had to travel to arrive here all the way from home, of course, so the ship was the best option. She didn't particularly dislike ships and sea travel in general, either. Too long trips, on the other hoof, get to her somehow. Well, she is an earth pony, she's a farmer, her cutie mark has nothing to do with the sea and so it is natural that others might have a greater affinity to the sea than her. She doesn't hear the talking, however, and so she moves on, after a short pause once she's on land, or wood, or rock, whatever the pier might be made of turning to head into town. By turning she notices the motioning hoof, though, and peers at the pony said hoof belongs to, wondering just what those two were talking about. Well, she might find out as she has to head that way anyway, and so she does.

"It would appear, Mr. Song, that you will get the chance to inquire yourself," said Quintessent-Rune druly as Ocha approached them. She gave the white mare a slight nod. "Good morning miss, I'm L-… Miss Quintessent Rune. I do belive my aquaintance here would wish to wish you wellcome to the Harbour."

"Ye- wait, what? Excuse me, it was you who called her over," the pegasus says. "But, um, hello? Welcome, I guess. I'm Gem-Song, what's your name?"

The foreign pony halts when she is actually spoken to. It is a good opportunity to greet the locals, and besides it would be rude to just walk on without greeting them in return, despite them not even knowing who wanted to greet her after all. Ocha offers a smile to the two, looking them over just long enough so it, also, does not appear impolite and while she does this she sets her fore hooves slightly more apart than they were. The reason for that is the way she greets the two, offering a bow that might make one think she mistakes the two for nobles of some kind and once she looks up again she begins to speak. "Ohayou gozaimasu. Good morning to you, too. And arigatou, thank you for the welcome. My name is Ocha. It is very nice to meet you."

"I did not souch thing, Mr. Song. I waved a hoof…" said Quintessent Rune, though her voice trailed off as she looked at Ocha. She seemed to take the bow in stride - after all, why shouldn't she? She was used to bows back home. She smiles, though then again Quintessent Rune always smile; a polite smile, if a rather emotionaly detatched one. Though now, the very corners of her mouth turn upwards ever so slightly in delight. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Ocha."

Gem-Song blinks. Ookaay, she's bowing… and she's speaking Neighponese. Now would be a good time to test out his Neighponese, if he wasn't current drowning in awkward. "Well, you were the one that got her attention. I was trying my best to remain unnoticed."

Ocha shifts her weight a little after the bow, wondering if she should at least set the tools down for now. She doesn't decide just yet, with those two very different reactions she receives there. Especially Gem-Song's made her wonder if it would be best to move on, but she doesn't do that yet, either. She offers another smile, as well, looking from one pony to the other. "Gem-Song." she repeats first without much of a problem, then looks over at Rune and .. well, she starts looking a bit troubled after a moment, trying to pronounce it right in her head at first before embarrassing herself by saying it the wrong way. In the end she decides it might be best to leave the difficult part away, hoping it would be alright. "Rune-san." she says, hesitating a bit, giving the pony with said name, or partial name at least, a look that asks for permission to keep calling her that. The foreign pony does have a bit of an accent, even when she speaks the local language.

Quintessent-Rune's leg twitched ever so slightly as she faught the urge to facehoof. Nopony ever did get her name right! "I do belive Miss Rune would work," she offered, reining in the resigned sigh that wanted to slip out with it. "Not that anypony ever does that it would seem."

Gem-Song blinks once again, still having no idea how to react. "Uhh… so, yeah. Welcome to Horseshoe Harbor!"

Ocha is welcomed once again, so there's another bow, a light one of her head only this time. "Hai, Rune-san. That is, it would be Miss Rune translated into your language." she explains, then waits for a moment, for a reaction that shows they understand before her eyes turn town-ward again. Well, she was already standing in part of the town, of course, but, well, away from the docks. "Ah! You two, do you maybe know some place where I can stay for a while?" she wonders, asking her new acquaintances. It's way easier like this than searching for a hotel on her own.

Quintessent-Rune stod silent for a moment. "I could offer room, I have more than I need myself, providing you are willing to enter into an arrangement by which you assist with provisioning the estate in exchange for staying there."

Gem-Song puts a hoof to his chin in thought. I highly doubt Rune would- WAIT WHAT. "Oh, she's staying with us, then? Great, somepony I can actually talk to without her threatening to evict me." Great, somepony to interfere in my plans… Oh. Well played, Rune. Well played.

Ocha flicks her ears to that offer. Staying at somepony's home? After meeting them for the first time, even. There's disbelief written all over her face .. until it dawns on her, a thought: that pony must be the owner of a hotel. "So, you have a room for rent? Uhm, provisioning.. what do you mean? Payment?" the foreigner asks. Her attention shifts to Gem-Song for a moment while she's waiting for them to be answered. So he must also be one of the hotel's guests? Quite the coincidence!

"Not as such, but I have more room than is nesecary and it would be helpfull to have another pony to pay for food and other nesseceties," said Quintessent-Rune smoothly. "And I do belive the pressence of another polite individual would, perhaps, help smooth out Mr. Song's rough edges as well."

Gem-Song giggles. Wait… "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" he says, then turns to Ocha. "Here's a little tip for you: NEVER ask about her past. NEVER. Got that?"

Ocha cannot help but giggle some to what she hears from Rune and Gem's reaction to it. But at the same time she realizes that she was wrong. So it wasn't a hotel she'd be staying at. "Demo.." she murmurs followed by a few more words in her native tongue. She realizes that the other two might not really understand her, but she can translate it, and so she does. "But that means.. It's your house? You invite me, just like that? But, I cannot. I mean, that wouldn't be .. I shouldn't.." she shakes her head slightly and also shifts again, trying to get her saddlebags into a more comfortable position on her back. "We just met, you don't know me, I don't know you. That's not .. right, is it? And then.." she trails off and looks back at Gem, thinking about something for a moment but doesn't go on. "Her past?" she wonders, though. Even if there's an unbelievable offer she has to think about, she is curious about that, too. "What about her past?" And at this point her eyes wander between the both of them.

Quintessent-Rune smoothly put a hoof to her chest, her polite smile unwavering. "Miss Ocha, I do belive I am within my right to do so. Since well past half a millenia it has always been my family's prerogative to invite to our estate at will. And if it would ease your mind, you may consider it not an invitation to the estate as much as a offer of lodgings in exchange for puting food upon our collective tables."

The seapony-in-disguise turned to glance at Gem-Song. "And that, Mr Song, was exactly what I mean. Now kindly do not mention my past, you are aware of the rules I have laid down."

Gem-Song smirks. "Oh, sorry, Miss Rune, I was just telling our new guest here the rules. Mentioning it in reference to said rule should not break that rule, should it?"

Eventually the foreign pony's eyes come to rest on Rune again. The offer was put that way now, but something.. Of course, this is a different country. "Are you certain?" Ocha wants to make sure it really, really would be alright. It was a chance to settle in until she found another place, maybe even get a home if she finds a nice area to set up a farm. "Then I .." she goes on, glancing back to her saddlebags and the tools and all. "Then I would be honoured." she finally says. All those things she carries are getting heavy, and it might be a good plan to have somewhere to stow it away while she looks around. "I will do whatever I can do help out. I can offer bits as compensation, too, or I could cook. Uhm, clean?" she offers. And yet again, there's a slight bow of her head. "Ah, himitsu desu ka? I will not speak of it, then."

Quintessent-Rune raised a hoof. "Help with food will be fine I belive. Servant is an exelent shef, it seems to have taken to cooking like a… fish to water, I supose," said Quintessent, a very faint frown appearing on her face as she mulled over the dirt pony expression. It was really rather silly, though she'd draw odd looks if she'd said 'grass to the ground' like they did under the sea. "Either way, I do supose I shall be showing you the way." With that the seapony-in-disguise turned, truding of towards the far side of the Harbour.